Metro News & Reviews

Metro’s response to the Community Connector Coalition letter

Below is Metro’s official response to the Community Connector Coalition’s letter suggesting realignments to stations and routes for the Regional Connector Project. As we mentioned in this morning’s headlines, the group’s letter can be read here.

We take the coalition’s letter and all public comments seriously, and will follow our well-established technical process to review and respond to all letters and comments to the Regional Connector’s environmental document. We are currently reviewing the letter with the project’s technical, environmental and operations staff and consultants, and expect to have written responses in the coming weeks. The Final EIS/EIR, which will include responses to all public comments, will be submitted for Metro Board consideration in December contingent on FTA approval.

Building a station at 2nd and Grand is basically an engineering nightmare. Immediately underneath the intersection is the Grand Ave. tunnel. Under THAT is the 2nd. Street tunnel.

And I don’t even know if there are any utilities under there to worry about.

Because of those tunnels, it’s literally impossible to build a station box there unless it’s excavated out from the within the tunnel itself. It can be done, but then we’re talking about LOTS of expense and trouble that can be saved my simply keeping it a block away at Hope.

While Broad’s signature is prominent, multiple sources told blogdowntown this week that the man behind the letter is John Welborne, the man best known for Angels Flight. Welborne’s wife Martha just happens to be Metro’s top planner, putting her in charge of project’s such as the Regional Connector. Welborne is said to have been taking numerous meetings in recent weeks to pitch the coalition’s plan

If this is true metro should make sure There is no conflict of interest and Martha Welborne should be removed from this project.

I think if metro keeps the south exit at 3rd and flower on the Bunker Hill station it could help to serve what 5th and Flower station would. I created a map with both N and S exits from the Bunker hill station and using existing Pedways. I use the pedways everyday and they could enhance this Metro station.